Ray Charles
Born
September 23, 1930
Died
June 10, 2004 (73 years old)
Known For
Acting
Place of Birth
Albany, Georgia USA
Ray Charles Robinson (September 23, 1930 – June 10, 2004), better known by his shortened stage name Ray Charles, was an American musician. He was a pioneer in the genre of soul music during the 1950s by fusing rhythm and blues, gospel, and blues styles into his early recordings with Atlantic Records. He also helped racially integrate country and pop music during the 1960s with his crossover success on ABC Records, most notably with his Modern Sounds albums. While with ABC, Charles became one of the first African-American musicians to be given artistic control by a mainstream record company. Frank Sinatra called Charles “the only true genius in show business.”
Rolling Stone ranked Charles number 10 on their list of "100 Greatest Artists of All Time" in 2004, and number two on their November 2008 list of "100 Greatest Singers of All Time". In honoring Charles, Billy Joel noted: "This may sound like sacrilege, but I think Ray Charles was more important than Elvis Presley. I don't know if Ray was the architect of rock & roll, but he was certainly the first guy to do a lot of things . . . Who the hell ever put so many styles together and made it work?"
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Ladies & Gentlemen... 50 Years of SNL Music
Self
2025
Merci Dorothée !
Self (archive footage)
2025
The Greatest Night in Pop
Self (archive footage)
2024
They All Came Out to Montreux
Self
2023
Carol Burnett: 90 Years of Laughter + Love
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
2023
Piano Greats at the BBC
Self (archive footage)
2022
2022 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony
Self (archive footage)
2022
Louis Armstrong's Black & Blues
Self (archive footage)
2022
Rat Pack
Self (archive footage)
2022
Like A Rolling Stone: The Life & Times of Ben Fong-Torres
Self (archival footage)
2021
I Am Not Your Negro
Self (archive footage)
2017
Face of Unity
Self
2014
Cachitos de hierro y cromo
Self (archive footage) · (1 episode)
2013
Jazzline - Ray Charles & Orchestra
Self
2012
Ray Charles - Live in France 1961
Self
2011
O Melhor do Flash Back - 92 Clipes Para Recordar
Self (archive footage)
2009
Ray Charles: Live At Montreux 1997
Self
2008
Jazz Evolution
Self - Piano, Vocals
2008
Ray Charles: The Legend Lives On
Self
2008
Atlantic Records: The House That Ahmet Built
Self
2007
Glen Campbell | Good Times Again
Self
2007
Fats Domino: Walking to New Orleans
Self
2007
Ray Charles: Live at the Olympia
Self
2006
Ray Charles with the Voices of Jubilation Choir
Self
2006
Burt Sugarman's The Midnight Special: 1976
Self
2006
The Blues Brothers: Transposing The Music
Self (archive footage)
2005
Soul Deep: The Story of Black Popular Music
Self · (6 episodes)
2005
Ray Charles: O-Genio - Live In Brazil 1963
Self
2004
Ray Charles: Soul of the Holy Land
Self
2004
Ray Charles: Genius Loves Company
Self
2004
Tom Dowd & The Language of Music
Self
2004
Hank Williams: Honky Tonk Blues
Self (archive footage)
2004
Rockin' Pianos
Self
2004
TV in Black: The First Fifty Years
Self (archive footage)
2004
Piano Blues
Self
2003
The Blues
(1 episode)
2003
Willie Nelson & Friends: Live and Kickin'
Self
2003
The Willie Nelson Special - With Special Guest Ray Charles
Self
2002
CMT Crossroads
Self · (1 episode)
2002
Ray Charles: Live: Montreux Jazz Festival
Self
2002
Michael Jackson: 30th Anniversary Celebration
Self
2001
Star Academy
Self · (1 episode)
2001
Ray Charles - In Concert
Self
2001
The Best of Bob Hope: 50 Years of Laughter — Volume 1
Self (archive footage)
2001
The Best of Bob Hope: 50 Years of Laughter — Volume 2
Self (archive footage)
2001
Blue's Big Musical Movie
G-Clef (voice)
2000
Quincy Jones...The First 50 Years
Self
1998
Saturday Live
Self · (1 episode)
1996
Spy Hard
Busdriver
1996
Sinatra: 80 Years My Way
Self - Performer
1995
The History of Rock 'n' Roll
Self
1995
The World of Jim Henson
Self (archive footage)
1994
Love Affair
Self
1994
Sesame Street | All-Star 25th Birthday: Stars and Street Forever!
Self (archive footage)
1994
Ray Alexander: A Taste For Justice
1994
The Nanny
Sammy · (4 episodes)
1993
The John Larroquette Show
Ray Charles · (1 episode)
1993
Willie Nelson: The Big Six-O
Self
1993
Montreux Jazz Festival 1991
1991
The Muppets Celebrate Jim Henson
Self
1990
Listen Up: The Lives of Quincy Jones
Self
1990
Wings
Ray Charles · (1 episode)
1990
Limit Up
Julius
1989
Legends of Rock 'n' Roll
Ray Charles
1989
Irving Berlin's 100th Birthday Celebration
Self
1988
Téléthon
Self · (1 episode)
1987
Super Dave
(1 episode)
1987
Le monde est à vous
Self (archive footage) · (1 episode)
1987
Sacrée soirée
Self · (2 episodes)
1987
The Beach Boys: 25 Years Together - A Celebration In Waikiki
Self
1987
Billy Joel: Building the Bridge
Self
1986
WrestleMania 2
Self
1986
The Muppets: A Celebration of 30 Years
Self (archive footage)
1986
Victoires de la musique
Self · (2 episodes)
1985
The Statue of Liberty
Self - Composer
1985
Moonlighting
Ray Charles · (1 episode)
1985
We Are the World: The Story Behind the Song
Self
1985
Who's the Boss?
(1 episode)
1984
I Love Quincy
Self
1984
Ray Charles: A Man & His Soul
1983
Hallelujah Gospel
Self
1983
St. Elsewhere
(1 episode)
1982
Champs-Elysées
Self · (2 episodes)
1982
Lynda Carter's Celebration
Self
1981
Ray Charles Live - In Concert with the Edmonton Symphony
Self
1981
Barbara Mandrell and the Mandrell Sisters
Self · (1 episode)
1980
John Schneider: Back Home
1980
Ray Charles At The North Sea Jazz Festival
Self
1980
The Blues Brothers
Ray
1980
Ray Charles: Angels Keep Watching Over Me
1979
The Second Barry Manilow Special
Self
1978
Fats and Friends
Himself
The Kennedy Center Honors
Self · (1 episode)
1978
NBC Salutes the 25th Anniversary of the Wonderful World of Disney
Self
1978
Bio’s Bahnhof
Self · (1 episode)
1978
The Beatles Forever
Self
1977
Saturday Night Live
Self - Host & Musical Guest · (1 episode)
1975
Cher
Self · (1 episode)
1975
The Smothers Brothers Show
(1 episode)
1975
Barbra Streisand... and Other Musical Instruments
Self
1973
Musikladen
Self · (1 episode)
1972
The Midnight Special
Self · (1 episode)
1972
The Midnight Special
Host - Self · (1 episode)
1972
The Flip Wilson Show
Self · (3 episodes)
1970
The Johnny Cash Show
Self · (2 episodes)
1969
The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour
Self · (3 episodes)
1969
Ray Charles - La Salle Pleyel, Paris
Self
1968
The Dick Cavett Show
Self - Guest · (3 episodes)
1968
The Carol Burnett Show
Self - Guest · (2 episodes)
1967
The Big T.N.T. Show
Self
1965
Ballad in Blue
Himself
1965
Shindig!
Self - Singer · (1 episode)
1964
The Hollywood Palace
Self - Singer · (1 episode)
1964
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
Self · (8 episodes)
1962
The Mike Douglas Show
Self - Co-Host · (1 episode)
1961
Swingin' Along
Self
1961
Kraft Music Hall
Self · (1 episode)
1958
The Dinah Shore Chevy Show
Self · (1 episode)
1956
The Ed Sullivan Show
Self · (1 episode)
1948